OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Spangle, WA 99031

Spangle: median income $98,182, home value $423,500, $176/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mazeppa, MN 55956 92%1,211$98,558$341,600$188 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Goode, VA 24556 91%2,035$87,250$399,000$204 larger
Washington Boro, PA 17582 90%2,083$100,263$304,800$211 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Germansville, PA 18053 90%2,093$83,370$303,100$176 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger
Black Earth, WI 53515 90%1,369$92,625$361,300$218 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Hampton, MN 55031 90%1,184$114,338$409,800$192 larger
Welch, MN 55089 90%1,194$108,750$384,800$238 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Rollingstone, MN 55969 90%1,248$94,444$291,800$157 cheaper homes ($132K less)
Crescent, IA 51526 89%1,139$95,179$334,300$206 cheaper homes ($89K less) · more single-family homes
Iron Ridge, WI 53035 89%1,418$102,449$299,100$205 cheaper homes ($124K less) · larger
Coon Valley, WI 54623 89%1,294$88,864$276,400$181 cheaper homes ($147K less) · larger
Darwin, MN 55324 89%1,104$83,269$355,100$196 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Joliet, MT 59041 89%421$80,500$411,700$189 larger
New Haven, VT 05472 88%2,114$92,537$378,000$217 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · more renters
Princeton, IA 52768 88%1,380$112,563$291,100$151 cheaper homes ($132K less)
Neosho, WI 53059 88%1,421$91,114$342,800$232 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Hager City, WI 54014 88%1,202$101,667$302,900$208 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger
Carlton, MN 55718 88%1,169$96,546$319,100$198 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Audubon, MN 56511 88%1,003$89,875$401,900$261 larger
Dearborn, MO 64439 88%1,253$91,136$286,100$194 cheaper homes ($137K less)
Soulsbyville, CA 95372 88%668$97,398$408,300$255 Very close on everything we compare
Forest Ranch, CA 95942 88%564$116,400$448,000$226 larger
Swoope, VA 24479 87%2,016$80,583$390,400$191 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents
Long Grove, IA 52756 87%1,370$116,250$358,000$189 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Cleveland, MN 56017 87%1,149$88,056$330,900$211 cheaper homes ($93K less)

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.